"A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it."
George A.Moore, Irish Novelist

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tea Party for Granddaughter, Ms. C.

After my last week's Tablescape Thursday debut, I had to scale back a bit this time. It took me DAYS to get it all clean after the dinner party. I just reset the table with everything & plan on having another group of friends over later this week. Its easier to do such gatherings back to back for me but for today, I just did a little table outside.

My sweet granddaughter, Ms. C., is coming over for a visit after kindergarten. She has just turned 5 years old and loves to have tea parties with her dollies. I set things up out on the deck near the gazebo so we can enjoy this beautiful fall weather while it lasts.

On her little wicker table & chair set from her playroom, I've placed a silk cutwork tablecloth (machine made) that I purchased in St. Mark's square in Venice, Italy. I have a cream one that was done by hand & I'll share that with you another day. The Venetians are known for their beautiful embroideries & linens.

Here is a closer look at the table.

I realize that spoon on the right should be placed on the other side of the plate but for the sake of photos....AND to keep the napkin from blowing away, I had to move it. I knew you'd understand.

The dishes, called Magnolia, are handpainted by Portmeirion for the Royal Botanic Gardens. Ms. C. accidentally broke one of the cups last year. I need to try to find a replacement. She felt so bad!

On a little side table, I have an Irish linen buffet scarf with handmade cutwork. I TOLD you I loved that kind of stuff!

To protect it from tea stains, I placed a simple Battenburg lace cloth that I found at a local discount store for $5.It looks just as pretty & I can relax a bit if she wants to pour the tea. I would never tell her "no" but I must admit, I hold my breath sometimes. She is very careful & already knows to pass the cream with the handle pointing towards the receiver. I wish you could see how daintily she stirs her tea & how she always gently taps the spoon twice on the rim before putting it on the saucer.....too cute!

The little creamer & sugar bowl below are Royal Chelsea bone china & were made in England. I've had them for YEARS.The covered dish in the background is from an FTD flower arrangement. I love saving those containers & incorporating them into a tablescape.

The tiny little teaspoon you see in the sugar bowl is by Bucherer of Switzerland & was given to us on a trip to Lake Lugano, Switzerland. It says "Rolex" just above the cross emblem, which is the insignia on the red flag of Switzerland.

We also went to Como, Italy on that trip. It is a gorgeous, lush, privileged area where the wealthiest in the world own property or vacation on private beach fronts around the lake, which lies between Milan and the border of Switzerland.

We ate lunch right over there in the left corner!

A 2-story ferry took us around the Lake, one of the deepest in the world at over 1000 feet. The mansions and gardens around the Lake are owned and visited by the likes of Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. Mussolini stayed here and the SS headquartered here during WWII. Mussolini was also killed here and later strung upside down in the square in Milan. The Pope vacations here and Pavarotti stayed at times; the heir to the Heinz (ketchup) fortune Teresa Heinz Kerry, now wife of Massachusetts senator John Kerry has a mansion on Lake Como, as does George Clooney. We didn't get to see him. :(

The teapot has " The Special Place" written on the bottom of it and the year she was born. I don't know if they issue a different one every year or not. There's something to further investigate.

Note the paper drip catchers on the spout. A nice little touch and it helps to protect the good linens. I am all about PREVENTION!

My teapot is part of a collectible series, made in England by Windsor. It is titled "The Tennis Match" and has scenes of Victorian tennis players on both sides. Note the time on the clock on the lid...just a wee bit past tea time.

Below is the scene on the opposite side. They are playing tennis in those long skirts! See the time is different on this side of the knob? It seems the match started around 1:30 pm & ended just in time for tea.

The centerpiece flowers of petunias, purple statis and white geraniums are from my garden. The little vase that looks like a shopping bag I bought it in a tea room in Venice, FL where we used to live.

This shows a better view of it and the pretty paper fan shaped napkins, as well. They unfold into a beautiful scalloped circle. I've been meaning to try decoupaging one onto the back of a clear plate, just to see the effect.*Note to self: Get busy & DO IT!*

The photo below shows more of the flowers I used on the side table. All but the fuji mums are from my garden. Don't you just LOVE the smell of mums? Nothing takes me back to high school & homecoming like that fragrance!

Thank you for coming to tea with us. We both enjoyed sharing it with you.

Please join Susan and the rest of the Tablescape Thursday participants at her blog, Between Naps on the Porch for more wonderfully inspiring ideas. Thank you, Susan, for hosting this lovely party every week.

I love tea parties for little girls. This one is beautiful, and it is true, you can use the china with little ones, they rise to the occasion and it is so special for them... a sweet memory for them for sure!

Wow! What a rosy little setting!! From the cutwork to the fan napkins! Just perfect. Love the old FTD Valentines dish. Hold on to that..I haven't seen one of those in years! Been a florist for 37 years..that container is from middle 80's..with the FTD mark and all someday that will be antique! Who knows..look at those ceramic lady heads...those were an FTD item in the day.

What a lovely table you have created for you and Caroline! The dishes and pretty napkins are great. I know she'll remember this. I love the name "Caroline" I don't have any children yet; however, if I ever have a little girl, her name will be Caroline. Happy TT to you!

Hi Rett,This is a very charming setting for a very special event! Your guest is a very fortunate little girl to have a grandmother who loves her enough to create such beautiful traditions and what are certain to be lasting memories!

I love everything you showed here. That place in Italy is gorgeous, you should link it with Sightseeing Sat.on my sight someday too. I love your tablecloths! All your dishes and tea pots are really very pretty...Christine

So glad you participated again this week and your little tea table is lovely. Such special items on it and what a special treat to have after Kindergarten! Everything is just adorable and you explained everything in such an interesting manner!

What a beautiful party for a beautiful little girl! That table cloth is excquisite (machine made or not:) Your picture of Italy makes me want to get on a plane. I am glad you liked my miniture flower/placecard idea. I hope you can use it sometime :)

I'm going to sound really dumb here, but you serve Caroline real tea? I always though tea parties were just pretend. Where have I been, huh?

Your things are gorgeous and I love the addition of the history behind each piece and where you got them and where you visited. You make me want to visit each place!!! You make everything so PRETTY. Caroline is a very lucky little girl!

Thank you, Everybody, for your sweet comments. They mean so much to me, you'll never know.

Tammy, we were blessed with being able to travel a great deal right after DH retired. Since 9-11 though, we've stayed within the USA. I hope you DO get to visit Italy someday. It was my second favorite place, after Ireland, of course.

Carol, I do let Caroline have real tea but it is very weak & she puts 2 lumps of sugar & LOTS of milk in her's, so its mild. She loves it!

To Anonymous: I live about an hour north of Medina, OH & Molly's Tea Room. We went there for my birthday...what a special treat! Small world, huh?

Both of the tables are gorgeously sweet!! Your little Caroline sounds like a doll and deserves all the finery you have shared with her. Oh, the memories she will have of time spent with grandmother!!

I have a little spoon that is exactly like the spoon you have in your sugar bowl, with the cross and Rolex on it. Mine says Lucerne on it and has an image in the well of the spoon. I picked it up in a little antique shop with a a small handful of inexpensive pieces of jewelry and paid something like $2.50 for the lot of it. ALways wondered if this spoon was for someone who collects them, which I don't.

Rett, What beautiful times you are having with your Granddaughter, trust me she will never forget them. I remember spending times with my Grandmothers (of course they gave me coffe, not tea) and just how special I felt. I have never see a paper drip catcher before, that was really neat. Well I guess I had better go get some coffee, I suddenly have the craving for some.HA HA Sandy

Oh what a lovely table, and what a lucky, lucky little girl to have you for a grandma! I so wish I had those paper protectors when I was letting my girls have tea parties with their friends --- it would have saved a lot of laundry!

Congratulations, I just wanted to let you know that you are the winner of one of my Pay It Forward giveaways. If you will check out my blog you will find your gift and then if you would email me your address I will get your gift off this coming week. Congratulations and thanks so much for entering. Hugs, Marty

I am so glad you won. I hope you will enjoy the plates. No, you do not have to wait until you have 100 posts. Generally they are two seperate giveaways, mine just happened to coincide with my 100th post. I think it would be nice to have one reasonably soon, that way more and more people will be receiving a giveaway before the Holidays. I will get your plates off this coming week. Thanks so much for entering. Hugs, Marty

Rett-Forget the typing skills. I am questioning my brain!! 1 1/2 cups self rising corn meal!!!! Oh for shame!!!! Thank you for catching it. I usually proof and Proof again on recipes and just missed it. Thank you for your bringing it to my attention. !!!!!!

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A bed without a Quilt is like a Sky without Stars!

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About Me

I'm a critical care RN & was married 28 yrs to a warm & funny family practice physician, who passed away 2-7-15. I wish we had found each other sooner, so we could have loved each other longer.
I have 1 daughter & am called "Nana Rett" by her 3 children, my 2 grandsons & 1 delightful granddaughter. (Hubby had 12 grands & 3 great-grands, too)
I enjoy sewing, quilting, smocking & embroidering clothing for them along with playing tennis for exercise and do throw an occasional dinner party just to keep my cooking skills from getting too rusty!
I hope your creativity will be nurtured here.

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